[Hidden-tech] Digitizing slides

[Jan Werner]

I have a collection of high quality slides taken between 20 and 30 years 
ago that I want to digitize before they fade away completely.

After a fair amount of research, I bought an Epson V550 flatbed photo 
scanner (about $170), which seems to be a favorite among professional 
photographers for both transparency and document scanning. If you want 
to make exhibition quality prints, you might want to move up to the 
Epson 700 series scanners, which start at about 4 times the price.

The software that comes with the Epson scanner is excellent, but for 
another $80, you can get VueScan Professional, a somewhat quirky but 
incredibly flexible photo scanning program for Windows, Mac and Linux 
that works with nearly any scanner ever made and provides a bewildering 
list of controls, including filters for Kodachrome and Ektachrome.

I haven't had much time so far this year to play around with all this, 
but initial tests gave good results.  Of course, if you have a lot of 
slides, it could take a while. Since VueScan can output DNG files that 
can be used by Lightroom, it should be possible to set up an automated 
workflow to process many similar slides, which might help.

This is probably overkill for anyone who just wants to digitize old 
snapshots to upload to Facebook.

Jan Werner
____________

Chris Landry wrote:
>     ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>     ** If you did, we all thank you.
>
>
>
>
> Thanks for your suggestions, everyone!
>
> Chris
>
> On Apr 23, 2014, at 4:24 AM, William Loving
> <will at dedicatiotechnologies.com
> <mailto:will at dedicationtechnologies.com>> wrote:
>
>> Chris,
>>
>> Be aware that due to the peculiarities of the chemistry of Kodachrome
>> film, a special color correction is required to avoid a bluish cast in
>> every scan. This is best done at the point of scanning with a scanner
>> and software such as SilverFast that has settings for Kodachrome and
>> supports scanner calibration using a Kodachrome target slide
>> (available online). Color correcting Kodachrome scans done without
>> calibration in PS or other editor is difficult and does not generally
>> produce good results.
>>
>> Will
>>
>> Will Loving, President
>> Dedication Technologies, Inc.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Apr 21, 2014, at 5:55 PM, Chris Landry <chrislandry100 at gmail.com
>> <mailto:chrislandry100 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>>>   ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's
>>> area.
>>>   ** If you did, we all thank you.
>>>
>>>
>>> Hey Hidden Techers,
>>>
>>> I know this has come up before but I can't find it. I'm looking for a
>>> trusted place around here to have my Dad's old Kodak slides scanned.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Chris Landry
>>> Landry Communications
>>> www.christopherlandry.com <http://www.christopherlandry.com>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>> --
>>
>> William M. Loving
>> Dedication Technologies, Inc.
>> 7 Coach Lane
>> Amherst, MA 01002-3304   USA
>>
>> Tel:     +1 413 253-7223   (GMT –5)
>> Fax:    +1 206 202-0476
>> Email: will at dedicationtechnologies.com
>> <mailto:will at dedicationtechnologies.com>
>> Web: http://dedicationtechnologies.com
>> http://studioschoolpro.com
>> http://callerscompanion.com
>>
>
>
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